Sex differences in “cognitive” regions of the rat brain

doi:10.1016/0306-4530(91)90073-3

Psychoneuroendocrinology

Volume 16, Issues 1–3, 1991, Pages 105-119

https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4530(91)90073-3 Get rights and content

Abstract

This review is centered on anatomical sex differences in neuronal organization in parts of the rat nervous system that are associated with “cognitive” rather than reproductive function: the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex, including the corpus callosum. All three of these structures exhibit sexual dimorphism at the cellular level. It is notable that there is a dissociation between the gross size of a structure and the underlying cellular dimorphism. For example, no sex differences were detected in the size of the splenium of the corpus callosum, but female rats had more axons in this area than did male rats. These “cognitive” regions of the brain are susceptible to the nature of the postweaning environment; the degree and even direction of sex differences was influenced by the environment. There is evidence that testosterone plays a role in the dimorphism of the hippocampus.

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ReviewSex differences in “cognitive” regions of the rat brain

Abstract

Horm Behav

Brain Res

Trends Neurosci

Progr Brain Res

Brain Res

Psychoneuroendocrinology

Brain Res

Cortex

Dev Brain Res

Behav Brain Res

Brain Res

Dev Brain Res

Brain Res

Dev Brain Res

Brain Res

Brain Res

Dev Brain Res

Brain Res

Exp Neurol

Brain Res

Brain Res

Behav Neural Biol

Psychoneuroendocrinology

Brain Res

Psychoneuroendocrinology

Brain Res

Dev Brain Res

Int J Dev Neurosci

Gonadal steroid induction of structural sex differences in the central nervous system

Annu Rev Neurosci

Failure to demonstrate sexual dimorphism of the corpus callosum in childhood

J Anat

Dendritic reorganization in the denervated dentate gyrus of the rat following entorhinal cortical lesions: a Golgi and electron microscopic analysis

J Comp Neurol

Forms and measures of adult and developing human corpus callosum: is there sexual dimorphism?

J Comp Neurol

Review
Sex differences in “cognitive” regions of the rat brain